Treating the orchids in my sickbay: Zygos, a Phal, and an Angraecum

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

We always used Captan to control fungus issues with the fruit trees/grapes and roses.

I bought some of this a while ago. I haven't used it, but have gathered a whole bunch of these treatments - just in case.

[BrassavolaStars]

I sprayed the plants with the copper.

Sadly, on the plant with the rotting bulb, I cut away the bulb and this is what I found. It kind of looks purple. I kept cutting and found more purplish areas. Not good. I will probably never be able to find this one again as it was resold old stock from a defunct vendor.

I really loved how on this zygo, the petals and sepals had rounded edges.

[SouthPark]

Brassa ----- in some orchids --- catts etc included, a purple pigmentation can actually be normal.

For your case ----- not sure, but certainly sometimes, purple colour is mistaken to be something nasty. But not necessarily nasty.

[BrassavolaStars]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

Brassa ----- in some orchids --- catts etc included, a purple pigmentation can actually be normal.

For your case ----- not sure, but certainly sometimes, purple colour is mistaken to be something nasty. But not n necessarily nasty.

That could be true, but what I was most concerned about was that blackish area of the rhizome. That did not look good at all to me.

When I was cutting the new stub of new growth for some reason decided to fall off. This surely ended its chances.

It’s been a bad day.


This is what the flowers had looked like (image below):

It was listed as a Zygonisia cross with B.G. White and Aganisia cyanea (also called Zygonisia skywalker) but I’m not sure that’s possible as I see no evidence of Aganisia cyanea in the flowers. It honestly looks more like B.G. White x Blue Banks or maybe even a Zygoneria.

Either way, I’m profoundly saddened because I think it has no chance and it was an extreme favorite unlikely to ever reappear for sale as it was a one off.

[KingKong]

Sorry to hear about your cases.
Not sure I can help much but the didieri - apart from a bit of nutrient burn on the roots looks healthy - potted in bark.

The other 3 - potted in spagnum are doing badly which is my experience with spagnum.

I know spagnum is widely used and it works great for 3 months.. .till it doesn't anymore, then removing the spagnum for a repot has always caused root damage so I avoid spagnum like the plague now and don't get any issues anymore.

Take my advice or leave it, it could be completely unrelated but if those were my plants I personally would blame the spagnum they are growing in - especially the rotten pseudobulb

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by BrassavolaStars

Either way, I’m profoundly saddened because I think it has no chance and it was an extreme favorite unlikely to ever reappear for sale as it was a one off.

Wow..... just saw the pic you included. That flower has spectacular colours and pattern.

[Ray]

Some online orchid video professed that any purplish coloration is signs of a disease, fusarium specifically. Fortunately, fusarium is fairly rare. I’ll bet the video has caused more people to destroy good plants than it has helped people truly identify an issue.

As far as zygo hybrids are concerned, they are such strong breeders that I’m more surprised when the “other parent” is discernible at all in the hybrid.

[aliceinwl]

Zygopetalum types can be extremely resilient. If you can fix whatever conditions where causing its failure to thrive, and it has at least one unrotted pseudobulb, there’s a chance.

I had one do insanely well in sphagnum, it was in a clear slotted pot with the sphagnum filling the upper two thirds and the bottom third left substrate free. Within a year the pot was solid roots.

Mine do sulk a bit after repotting and don’t tolerate root disturbance well, so I’d recommend getting your game plan together before a repot so that you aren’t faced with having to disturb the plant again.

It’s a beauty, as long as there’s green there’s hope!

[BrassavolaStars]

Hello All,

Update:

This is what is left after I has cut away any blackened, rotted sections and dusted (only on the rhizome cut) with cinnamon.

It does not have any areas that look like eyes or active growths. I am not optimistic though.

I took the advice of Aliceinwl and put it into a slotted pot with moss and empty space. Most of the roots are still alive and well. I just don’t see a place it could continue to grow from.

I would have normally tried bark instead but for some reason all my other Zygos did better in moss than bark with the exception of leaf spotting which is (I think) unrelated to the potting medium.

I made sure it is raised above the medium to ensure rots stay away. I also sprayed it with very strong cleary’s and copper.


I still question that this plant was actually labeled correctly as to me it looks like a full Zygopetalum instead of a Zygonisia (which do tend to look very different). Maybe it could have been a Zygoneria but I would still be skeptical of that.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

I'm going to test on a Dendrobium ------ and see what happens. I'll choose a moschatum to try it on.

Back again! I just used some Yates 'liquid copper' spray and sprayed it a healthy Den. moschatum with it. Will report back in maybe a few weeks time or so on this one.